The present invention relates to a socket contact for receiving a pin contact having a small diameter, especially a pin contact of a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) plug. Such contact pins have a diameter of about one-quarter to one-half millimeter and the socket contact has a height and width that are only about twice as great as the pin contact diameter. Such contact elements are known in the prior art in a variety of embodiments. Commonly, rows of such contact elements are disposed in a front face of a PCMCIA plug-in card to form socket contacts at the front of the card. The socket can be plugged into a mating PCMCIA plug-in host that may be part of a computer.
To arrange the socket contacts in the PCMCIA plug-in card, outwardly opening receiving channels are formed in the latter in the region of a front face. The socket contact elements or contacts are inserted from the rear of the receiving channels. The socket contacts are positioned inside the receiving channels so a base of the socket contact always extends at the base of the receiving channel. Specifically, the receiving channel would be blocked by a socket contact base that were disposed at an angle to the receiving channel, and the introduction of a pin contact would then be made difficult or even prevented.
A socket contact of the known type is normally punched out of a large sheet of sheet metal. Both the outer contour of the socket contact and a pin-passing opening in the spacing part of the socket contact are punched out. In the punching operation, the second spacing element and the spring tongue, except for the side where they are joined to the base, are also punched out of the base. The punch part is then bent into the shape of the finished socket contact. Thus, for example, the spring tongue is bent slightly upward relative to the base so it projects into that region of the socket contact into which the pin contact element is introduced. In addition, a front spacing part is bent upward relative to the base, and a top contact part is formed by bending backward a top contact part. Finally, a retainer is bent steeply upward relative to the basic element.
Basically, the socket contact has a substantially flat horizontal base with slits forming an upwardly-inclined tongue, a spacing part extending upwardly from the front end of the base, and a top contact part extending rearwardly from the top of the spacing part. The spacing part has a hole, and the contact pin can be inserted through the hole and be clamped between the tongue and the top contact part. The spacing part is weakened by the hole, and may plastically deform if a large clamping force is applied by the tongue and top contact part to the inserted pin. Strengthening of the spacing part to prevent it from bending, would enable the socket contact to apply a large clamping force to a pin contact.